Rumors are circulating that certain types of beer give you 'man boobs’

A nasty rumor has been
making its way
around the internet that says drinking beer — specifically,
hoppier beers known as IPAs — is linked with a host of sexual
problems in men — most notably, the development of
"man boobs."

Herbalist and author Stephen Harrod Buhner recently told the
VICE News blog Munchies that a natural compound in hops could
cause men to develop breasts and brewer’s droop, a temporary form
of impotence due to heavy drinking.

Good news, beer drinkers! This is almost certainly false.

While it's true that the hops found in beer contain a plant
chemical that imitates the hormone estrogen, known as a
phytoestrogen, the levels of it in beer are likely way too
low to cause any harm.

Just to be sure, we spoke recently with Richard van Breemen, a
professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Illinois
College of Pharmacy in Chicago.

Here's van Breemen:

"It's true that there is a minute quantity of [the estrogen-like
compound, known as] 8-prenylnaringenin, in hops, and there ought
to be a trace of it in beer, but I would say the levels are too
low to function as a [hormone] disruptor."

Hops, the female flowers of the hop plant (Humulus
lupulus), are the flavoring agent that gives beer,
especially India
pale ale, its bitter taste. The flowers contain a tiny amount
of the phytoestrogen, and studies of this
compound have found that it may have some effects on the
human hormonal system. But the amount of it in beer "just isn't
enough" to affect male sexual function, van Breemen said.

In fact, another compound, called xanthohumol, is much more
abundant in beer than 8-prenylnaringenin, and has well-known
cancer-fighting properties, said van Breemen. As of yet,
there hasn't been any conclusive research on this compound in
beer, though.

Interestingly, Van Breemen and his colleagues have actually been
testing a supplement derived from hops in women as a natural
alternative to
hormone-replacement therapy. But the doses are far higher
than those found in beer, and it's still too early to tell if the
treatment has any effect, he said.

If anything, the primary health problems related to drinking beer
are related to its high calorie content and its alcohol content,
said Van Breemen.